Man behind multi-crore drug hauls arrested

Almost two weeks after the police seized unlicensed drugs worth Rs 10 crore from Moga resident Pawan Goyal's factory in Baddi, the local police arrested him in Moga on Tuesday.

Pawan's son and accomplice Nitin Goyal is still absconding.

Earlier, the police had seized psychotropic drugs worth Rs 7 crore from three godowns of as many transport companies in Transport Nagar on September 18, following which the father-son duo and one Deepak Soni were booked under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Since these recoveries, police had been on their toes to arrest them by raiding many drugs manufacturing units in Himachal Pradesh and Harayana. Among the factories raided are GSB Pharmaceuticals at Baddi, which is owned by Pawan, and SPL Pharma in Baddi and Jacksonpal Pharmaceuticals in Faridabad, which police claim Pawan has links with.

The police had seized documents from these factories to further investigate the case. As many as 24 persons have been arrested so far in connection with supplying psychotropic drugs for the Goyals.

Police commissioner Paramjit Singh Gill said Pawan used to supply these drugs in Punjab and Haryana.